Golf swing training aid



Oct. 13, 1959 w. D. PRATT 2,908,504

GOLF SWING TRAINING AID Filed Nov. 21, 1958 WIIIIIIIIIEI IIIIIIIIIIIII)%ILII 1 16 I I 1 45 15 1 l ei o I V FW M INVENTOR Willicuzz D. Prait ATTORNEY United States Patent The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to training aids for a golf swing and more particularly relates to means for determining visually whether each practice swing would have resulted in a .straight ball, a sliced ball or a hooked ball.

Although the golf trainee is advised to keep his eye on the ball and to actually see the club head strike the ball about thebest the average player can do is to keep his eyes on the spot where the ball was after it is hit as the normal person does not have the supernormal eyesight which would be necessary to see the direction in which the club head is moving at the moment of impact. Therefore, it is impossible to tell from a practice swing whether or not the club head is moving down the desired path of movement at the moment of impact, whereby to achieve a straight ball. In like manner he cannot tell whether he is hitting from the inside out,

-which would cause a hooked ball or from the outside in which would cause a sliced ball.

Of course, if he is actually hitting a golf ball, the actual flight of the ball will indicate what, if anything, was wrong with the path of movement of the club head. However, driving 1 an actual ball is not alwaysupossible, as in practice at home, so it is highly desirable to have a practice device which can be used any place where there is room to swing a golf club and which device will advise the user of his faults, if any.

With the foregoing in View, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved golf swing training aid of the class described.

A further object is to provide an improved golf swing training aid wherein each practice swing inscribes one or more lines on the sole of the club head, the arrangement and direction of such lines designating the errors, if any, in the path of movement of the club head.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of invention, the structure of the several elements of the same, combinations and subcombinations of such elements with each other, with a golf club, and/or with a target for the golf club, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing and to the following specification wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 2-2. of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary bottom plan views of a golf club showing sample markings resulting from use of the invention; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view like Figure 2 but showing a modification of the invention.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like ref- 2,908,504 Patented Oct. 13, 1959 erence characters designate like parts in all views, and

referring at first to the species of Figures 1 and 2, 10 designates generally any suitable base which preferably is in the form of a flat plate of rubber or plastic material. The material ofthe base 10 is unimportant except that it should be tough enough to resist being broken when accidentally struck by a golf club and should be softer than the material of the golf club head so as not to damage the latter.

The base 10 is formed with two or more countersunk holes 11 therethrough adjacent the front and rear edges. Any suitable fastening means 12, having heads complementary to the holes 11 secure the base 10 to the surface of any suitable support 13. When used indoors, support 13 will be a floor and the fasteners 12 may be wood screws or bolts. When used outdoors the support 13 is the ground and the fasteners 12 may comprise ordinary wooden golf tees. In either event, the fasteners 12 secure the base against movement while it is being used.

The base 10 is also formed with two or more inverted countersunk holes 14 which removably mount the scribing means 15 which have heads complementary to the holes 14 and resilient, semi-rigid shanks 16 which project upwardly of the base 10. Preferably, the scribing means 15 are disposed in spaced relation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base 10. The shanks 16 are formed of any suitable resilient, soft and semi-rigid material such as elastomeric material either natural or synthetic. The upper portions of the shanks 16 in the region of the tips 17 are coated with any suitable scribing material, preferably a material which is readily erasable. In a preferred form, one scribing means 15 will have its tip coated with material of a diiferent color so that the user will know at once which scribing means scribed each line.

A suitable target means is provided in alignmentwith the scribing means 15 and adjacent thereto. In the species of Figures 1 and 2, the target may comprise a hole 18 formed through the base 10 between the scribing means 15 and in alignment therewith. The hole 18 may receive a golf tee 19 which may or may not mount a real or simulated golf ball 20. As used herein, the term target means can refer to the hole 18, the'tee 19, the ball 20, or all three. The tee 19 and ball 20 are unimportant unless the device is being used out of doors or before a driving net and the user wishes to hit or simulate hitting an actual golf ball.

In use, any suitable golf club such as the left handed Wood club shown which includes a shaft 21 and head 22 having an undersurface or sole 23 is swung at the target 18 in the usual manner with the user attempting to move the club head 22 along the line designated by the scribing means 15 and the target 18. If he is successful, a single line AB will be inscribed on the sole 23 of the club head 22 as shown in Figure 4. Such line should be centrally of the club and normally will be slightly curved as shown. The line A is scribed by the right hand scriber 17 while the line B is scribed by the left hand scriber 17. Of course, the line AB will be a composite line formed by both scribing means 15.

However, if the user hits too much from the outside in or from the inside out, the club head 22 will follow a diagonal path relative to the desired line of flight whereby separate lines A and B will be inscribed on the sole of the club head in a manner readily understood and as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Here the club head 22 has the line A located outside of the line B. In Figure 3, the user was hitting too much from the inside out and a hooked shot would have resulted. the user was hitting too much from the outside in and a sliced shot would have resulted. Here the club head In Figure 5,

3 22 has the line B located .outside the line A. After each practice swing, the user examinesthe sole 23 of the club head 22 and knows immediately whether or not the swing would have resulted in a good shot. When using adifferent color for each scriber 1.7, the user can tell from the location of the lines A and B whether a .location of the lines on the sole 23 tells the user whether .heis hitting the ball centrally of the club head as shown in Figure 4; in the heel as shown in broken lines, Figure 3.; or on the toe as shown 'in broken 'lines in Figure 5. Thus, he can adjust his swing to correct those errors as well as such hooking or slicing errors as may exist. Although a left handed club has been shown, the device is equally usable with right handed clubs as will be readily understood.

In the modification of Figure 6, a base 30 of any suitable platelike material is provided with a suitable target 31 which may comprise an integral, tubular tee which may mount a real or simulated golf ball 32. Two or more inverted countersunk holes 33 are formed in the base 30 at one side of the target 31 and in alignment therewith. The scribing means which may be the same as those previously described are mounted in the holes 33. Preferably, the scribing means 15 in this species of the invention are located forwardly of the target 31. This arrangement permits the user to address the target 31 or ball 32 by placing the club head immediately adjacent thereto. In the species of Figures 1 and 2, if the user so addressed the target 18 or ball 20, the sole 23 of the club head 22 would have a short line inscribed thereon by the right hand scribing means 15 which might be confusing to the user. Of course, in using the Figure 1 and 2 species, the trainee, as shown, normally addresses the target to the right of the right hand scriber.

It follows from the foregoing that the device does not require any modification of the club in the way of weight 4 or balance. Also, the invention can be used with irons as well as with woods in rapid succession. It can be used as well indoors as out. Except for the scribing means 15 and the line forming material, which may be white or colored chalk dust, lampblack or suitable liquid colors, the device requires nothing which the average golfer will not have in his possession. Also, it is clear that the device can be formed of low priced and readily available material. The scribing devices are inexpensive and readily replaceable and represent the only part of the device which is likely to be broken in use. No securing means is necessary for the scribing means 15 as the heads thereof are held in the inverted countersunk holes 14 or 33 by bearing against the surface of the support 13.

Moreover, while there has been shown and described what are now considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Therefore, the invention is not considered to be limited to the specific species shown and described hereinabove but only as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

In a golf swing training aid, the combination with a golf club including a club head having a sole; of a base, a target for said club head on said base, at least two upright scribing means on said base in spaced and aligned relation to said target and each other to designate a desired path of movement of said club head as the same is swung at said target, each scribing means including means for scribing a line on said sole of said club head as the same is swung at said target whereby to designate the deviations if any of said club head from said desired path of movement, each of said scribing means scribing a line of a different color whereby to identify the scribing means scribing each line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

